KINGSTON – The Ulster County Legislature on Tuesday voted in favor of a resolution to have the county act as the lead agency for the construction of a proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) in New Paltz.
In a vote of 19-4, the legislature pushed the controversial project forward.
This approval makes the county the lead agency for the mandatory State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process, giving it primary oversight over the project’s environmental review.
Republican Legislator Jason Kovacs, who represents District 3, voted against the resolution, stating that the Town of New Paltz should serve as the lead agency to avoid a conflict of interest.
“Ultimately, it is the residents of New Paltz who have to live with the consequences of the facility. They deserve a fair and impartial review, led by their own local government, with the town planning board playing a central role–as is going on right now in the Town of Saugerties and the Town of Ulster,” said Kovacs.
“I recognize that the county has every right to participate in the process, but being the landowner and the financial beneficiary of the project does not mean the county should also be the lead environmental reviewer,” he said.
Last month, the legislature unanimously halted the project, referring it back to the Laws and Rules and Ways and Means Committee, giving lawmakers more time to consider the project.
Key Capture Energy, the facility’s developer, is seeking zoning immunity for the project, which would remove the town board’s ability to enforce local safety, land use and zoning protections.
The 94-megawatt, lithium-ion battery storage facility is planned for the southwest corner of the county’s emergency communications center site on Paradies Lane.
The facility would store electrical energy during off-peak hours and feed it back into Central Hudson’s grid via the Ohioville Road substation during periods of high demand.
County officials say the project could generate millions of dollars in revenue for Ulster County.
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